Scout report of Manchester United summer target

Add as a preferred source on Google

Bengaluru, Feb 2: If reports in England are to be believed, Manchester United have made Sevilla defender Jules Kounde their top transfer target for the summer window. The 22-year-old centre-back has emerged as one of the most promising young players in Europe since arriving in Spain from Bourdeaux 18 months ago. And, it is now reported that Manchester United have set their sights on the Frenchman in order to shore up their defensive ranks for the foreseeable future.

In the past, Kounde has been strongly linked with a number of top clubs across Europe such as Juventus, Bayern Munich and Real Madrid but it was Manchester City who looked closest to landing the Frenchman in the summer before they eventually landed Ruben Dias. Therefore, it is quite evident that the 22-year-old is a player with a very high ceiling and could finally end Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's wait for a long-term partner of skipper Harry Maguire. Here we look at whether Kounde will be a good addition at Old Trafford or not.

Career so far

A product of the highly-acclaimed youth academy of French giants Bordeaux, Kounde made a good impression in Ligue 1 at an early age and was snapped up by Sevilla in the summer of 2019. He has since become a mainstay at the heart of the Sevilla defence alongside Diego Carlos as Julen Lopetegui's first-choice centre back pairing and led the club to fourth-placed finish as well as to the Europa League triumph last time out. The 22-year-old has been excellent this season as well and it is no wonder that his stock is getting even higher and higher.

Style of play

Jules Kounde is a modern-day centre-back who relies more on his athleticism and tactical awareness which are his biggest strengths and his excellent pace to recover almost any situation is another incentive. The Frenchman is just below six feet frame which is below average for central defenders but he makes up for his relative lack of height and physique with his understanding of the game despite his young age. In fact, he has won an average of 3 aerial duels per game this season which shows that despite his short frame, he is an excellent jumper.

Verdict

Manchester United have struggled to find a solid partner of skipper Harry Maguire at the heart of the defence with Eric Bailly struggling with injuries while Victor Lindelof is not consistent enough. Someone like Kounde, who is young, athletic and talented, can ideally end the Red Devils' wait for a solid and reliable centre-back pairing even at a fee of £60 million.